The speech at the end of the great dictator, titled Fight For Liberty, is widely regarded as the most wonderful speech in Chaplin's life.

Koby 2022-04-19 09:01:27

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible - Jew, Gentile - black man - white .

Unfortunately, I don't want to be emperor, that's not what I do. I neither want to rule anyone nor conquer anyone. If possible, I would love to help all people, Jewish and non-Jewish, black and white.

We all want to help one another. Human beings are like that. We want to live by each other's happiness - not by each other's misery. We don't want to hate and despise one another. In this world there's room for everyone and the good earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

We all need to help each other. That's how it should be. We should build our lives on the happiness of others, not on the suffering of others. Let us not hate each other and despise each other. There are enough places in the world for all people to live. The earth is fertile, and it can provide food and clothing for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful, but we have lost the way. Greed has poisoned men's souls - has barricaded the world with hate - has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed. We have developed speed, but we have shut ourselves in. Machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical; our cleverness, hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery we need humanity. More than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The road of life can be free and beautiful, but unfortunately we have lost our way. Greed poisons the human soul, builds walls of hatred all over the world, and forces us to take the right step to suffering and massacre. We develop speed, but we isolate ourselves. Machines are supposed to create wealth, but instead they bring us poverty. When we have knowledge, we see through everything; when we learn to be smart and well-behaved, we become ruthless. We use our minds too much and our emotions too little. What we need more is not machines, but humanity. What we need more is not smart and well-behaved, but kindness and warmth. Without these things, life becomes violent, and everything is over.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in man - cries for universal brotherhood - for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world - millions of despairing men, women, and little children - victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me, I say: 'Do not despair.' The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed - the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people. And so long as men die, liberty will never perish .

Airplanes and radios shorten the distance between us. The nature of these things itself is to give play to the good qualities of human beings; it requires people all over the world to love each other, and we all need to be united with each other. There are millions of people in the world today who love each other and demand that we all unite with each other. My voice is heard by millions of people in the world right now - millions of disappointed men, women, children - and they are all victims of a system that tortures people and tortures innocent people thrown into prison. I say to those who hear me, "Don't despair." We are suffering now only because those who fear human progress are venting their malice and gratifying their greed before they die. The hatred of these people will die, the dictators will die, and the power they took from the people will be returned to the people. As long as we are not afraid of death, freedom will never disappear.

Soldiers! Don't give yourselves to brutes - men who despise you and enslave you - who regiment your lives - tell you what to do - what to think and what to feel! Who drill you - diet you - treat you like cattle, use you as cannon fodder. Don't give yourselves to these unnatural men - machine men with machine minds and machine hearts! You are not machines! You are not cattle! You are men! You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don 't hate, only the unloved hate - the unloved and the unnatural!

Warriors! Don't give your life to those beasts - they despise you - enslave you - they rule you - tell you what to do - what to think, what feelings to have! They force you to practice, they limit your food—they treat you as animals, and use you as cannon fodder. Don't be at the mercy of these irrational people - they are all robots, with robot heads and robot hearts! But you are not machines! You are human! You have human love in your hearts! Don't hate it! Only those who are unloved hate - those who are unloved and irrational!

Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! Fight for liberty! In the seventeenth chapter of St Luke, it is written the kingdom of God is within man not one man nor a group of men, but in all men! In you! You, the people, have the power - the power to create machines. The power to create happiness! You, the people, have the power to make this life free and beautiful - to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy - let us use that power - let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world - a decent world that will give men a chance to work - that will give youth a future and old age a security.

Warriors! Do not fight for slavery! Fight for freedom! In the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, it is written that the kingdom of God is in the hearts of men—not in the hearts of one person or a group of people, but in the hearts of all people! in your heart! You people have power - the power to create machines. Has the power to create happiness! You people have the power to build your own good life - to make life meaningful. Then - for the sake of democracy - let's fight and build a new world - a

A wonderful world that will give everyone the opportunity to work - it will give young people a bright future and old people a stable life.

By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power. But they lie! They do not fulfil that promise. They never will! Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfil that promise! Let us fight to free the world - to do away with national barriers - to do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason - a world where science and progress will lead to all men's happiness. Soldiers, in the name of democracy, let us unite!

Those beasts stole power with these promises. However, they are lying! They never keep their promises. They will never fulfill their promises! Dictators themselves enjoy freedom, but they keep people in slavery. Let us fight now, to free the world, to remove the barriers of nations, to remove greed, hatred, stubbornness. Let us fight for a sane world where science and progress will bring happiness to all of us. Soldiers, for democracy, let us unite!

Hannah, can you hear me? Wherever you are, look up Hannah. The clouds are lifting! The sun is breaking through! We are coming out of the darkness into the light. We are coming into a new world - a kindlier world, where men will rise above their hate, their greed and their brutality. Look up, Hannah! The soul of man has been given wings and at last he is beginning to fly. He is flying into the rainbow - into the light of hope, into the future, the glorious future that belongs to you, to me, and to all of us. Look up, Hannah... look up!"

Hana, do you hear what I'm saying? Wherever you are at the moment, look up! Look up, Hana! The dark clouds are dissipating! The sun shines out! We are leaving the darkness and entering the light! We are entering a new world - a more lovely world where people will overcome their greed, their hatred, their cruelty. Look up, Hana! The souls of men have grown wings, and they are finally ready to fly. They flew into the rainbow - into the radiance of hope. Look up, Hana! Look up!

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Extended Reading

The Great Dictator quotes

  • Adenoid Hynkel: Schultz, why have you forsaken me?

  • Schultz: [plane is upside down] We're upside down!

    A Jewish Barber: I know it.

    Schultz: Give me that stick!

    A Jewish Barber: Impossible.

    Schultz: [engine dies] Oh, there it goes. We're out of gas. Well, this is it then.

    [pulls out cigarette pack]

    Schultz: Cigarette?

    A Jewish Barber: Not now.

    Schultz: Then I shant need this anymore.

    [tosses cigarette pack]